Sunday Work On Tunnel Opposed

Press, Volume C, Issue 29679, 24 November 1961, Page 15

Sunday Work On Tunnel Opposed

Sunday construction on the Lyttelton road tunnel has been objected to by Heathcote residents, and as a result the Heathcote County Council will inquire if it has the legal right to order the work to be confined to week days.

The move was requested by Cr. J. S. Scott, who said he had been asked to do this by many persons in the area.

“We know we have to put up with the noise and dust for six days in the week, but we would like a little peace on the seventh day,” he said. The chairman (Mr R. A. Young) said that the council would not necessarily take any action, but the legal position should be made plain before the matter was discussed.

The council resolved “that the county solicitor ascertain if it is legal or otherwise for the construction work on the tunnel project to proceed on Sundays.”

Loan Slashed An application for a loan of £25.000 for capital works had been reduced to half by the Local Authorities Loans Board because of the shortage of loan moneys, the council was told. The board suggested the remainder should be met out of revenue.

The council was highly critical of the decision. Members said that its next year’s budget already provided for certain capital works out of revenue.

“We have been so modest in our requirements over the years that we may have been penalised because we hadn't the effrontery to come forward before,” said Mr Young. ‘There is scarcely a local body in New Zealand with as little indebtedness as we have. “Capital work virtually promised to our ratepayers for this year now won’t be carried out. We would have had no trouble at all in raising the full amount.” he said. Mr Young thought the

board might be asked to consider a compromise figure such as £20.000, but it was said that the board’s meetings were held only quarterly. Cr. C. D. Le Comte suggested instead that the procedure for raising the amount authorised should be gone through with all speed and a new application made for the balance. This course was adopted.